"Good morning." Lindsey wrapped one arm around her waist, patting her hip through her silk nightgown as soon as he stepped into the kitchen.
Smiling lightly, Stevie's head fell back against his shoulder as her eyes closed instantly. "Good morning, Linds." She whispered, feeling him leave a couple of gentle kisses on the curve of her neck.
"How do you look so beautiful this early in the morning?" His voice was soft as he leaned in to capture her lips with his.
"Oh, jeez." Evee scrunched up her nose, brows wrinkled as she headed into the kitchen. "I think I just lost my appetite." She was teasing- sort of.
Pulling away from Stevie lightly, Lindsey turned back around. "There's our sunshine." He smiled lightly, sarcasm totally overflowing.
Stevie laughed quietly as she slid a cup of orange juice to Evee from across the counter. "Did you sleep good, sweet girl?" She let one hand fall on her hip as she leaned into the island, eyes melting right into Evee's tired blue orbs.
Nodding her head, she brought her glass up to her lips to take a quick sip. "Yeah," Everleigh kind of shrugged her shoulders as a gentle smile spread across her face.
"What are you doing today?" Lindsey had his arms crossed over his chest, still lingering a couple of feet behind his wife.
"Umm, my friends and I were going to go to the mall...?" It was more of a question, even though she already knew her mother's answer.
Stevie was leant- always the good cop in every situation. But then again, she had no reason to be anything other than trusting when it came to her daughter.... She was kind of just shielded from a lot of truth- from everyone, not just Lindsey.
"That will be fun." She nodded her head lightly as she trailed backwards towards the fridge. "Are-"
"What friends?" Lindsey didn't mean to cut her off- he thought she was done, but Stevie was never really finished talking.
"Just Lauren, Cami and some other people." She bit down on the inside of her cheek, trying hard not to look over at her father... He could always see through the lies.
"Other people? Like what other people?" Lindsey creased a brow, knowing full and well that there were holes in that little story. "Do these other people have names?" He questioned.
Chuckling softly, Stevie gave her husband a funny look. "Lindsey, what are you? A detective?" She patted his arm as she slipped around him, silently telling him to settle down some... "I think that sounds like a good time." She repeated, shaking her head lightly. "I can drop you off on my way to meet the girls for lunch?"
Evee's eyes wandered from her mother's to her glass as she let off a simple nod. "That would be perfect, mama." She assured, pushing herself off the bar stool to get back to her room.
"Are you gonna eat breakfast?" Stevie half shouted, even though the younger girl was already half way up the stairs. "What is the matter with you?" She turned her attention back towards her husband when she realized that the answer was no... no breakfast, like always.
"What do you mean?" Lindsey didn't want to argue with her, he really didn't but sometimes she made it difficult not to. "It isn't a bad thing to want to know who she's hanging out with, Steph." He added, an unenthusiastic shrug following his words.
"If you keep pestering her to tell us everything, she'll start keeping secrets." Stevie pushed herself up on her tip toes, grabbing a coffee cup out of the cabinet for him.
He arched an eyebrow, not exactly sure that not asking questions was the right answer either... but he wouldn't have admitted that aloud, not to her at least. "Alright, I'm gonna go meet the boys." After fifty years... yes, fifty years of marriage, he had finally figured out what was worth the headache and what wasn't.
With a gentle sigh, Stevie slid one arm around his waist as she sank into his side. "I hope you have a good afternoon, baby." Her fingers danced up his chest, taking his chin to bring his lips to hers.
"I love you." He pecked her lips one more time before she slipped out of his arms.
"I love you, Lindsey." She gave him a little wave as she headed back through the room to start getting around for the day. "I'll see you tonight, honey."
~
Biting down on her lower lip, Stevie's eyes remained on the hard wood floor. "I can't do it." She mumbled, a very deep sigh escaping her as she glanced up at the younger man for a split second.
With an arm still wrapped around her waist and the other holding one of her hands, he couldn't help but chuckle. "You're definitely getting there." He assured, rubbing the small of her back gently. "Don't give up on it just yet, alright? We'll try again next time and you'll eventually get the hang of it."
"I'm counting on that." She half smirked as she slowly pulled away from him. "Maybe ballroom just isn't my thing." Stevie kind of shrugged her shoulders, not sure she was totally cut out for that.
"You're great at tap." He reminded her, grabbing his water bottle off the bench to take a drink. "I think you'll be just as great at ballroom." Alex was young- like forty years old and optimistic... A little too optimistic for Stevie.
"I'll see you next week." She let out a laugh as she tossed her bag over her shoulder. "And don't worry, I'll practice." She lied, like usual.
He followed her to the studio door, just to make sure she made it to her car okay. "Are you ever going to tell your husband about this?" Alex smiled softly, watching as Stevie headed out into the mid-afternoon air.
Shaking her head, she paused once she'd pulled open the car door. "Some things are better left a mystery, my dear."
